Nationwide League Division Three 1996/1997
Historical league standings at 1st February 1997
| Home | Away | Overall | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | GS |
| 1 | Fulham | 30 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 29 | 15 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 24 | 13 | 18 | 5 | 7 | 53 | 28 | 59 | 53 |
| 2 | Carlisle United | 28 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 24 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 19 | 14 | 16 | 8 | 4 | 43 | 26 | 56 | 43 |
| 3 | Wigan Athletic | 28 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 29 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 21 | 21 | 16 | 5 | 7 | 50 | 34 | 53 | 50 |
| 4 | Swansea City | 31 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 25 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 15 | 6 | 10 | 40 | 32 | 51 | 40 |
| 5 | Cambridge United | 30 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 23 | 15 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 18 | 24 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 41 | 39 | 50 | 41 |
| 6 | Northampton Town | 30 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 33 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 16 | 20 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 49 | 32 | 46 | 49 |
| 7 | Colchester United | 30 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 27 | 14 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 17 | 18 | 10 | 15 | 5 | 44 | 32 | 45 | 44 |
| 8 | Cardiff City | 29 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 23 | 18 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 12 | 35 | 35 | 43 | 35 |
| 9 | Lincoln City | 30 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 20 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 21 | 33 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 41 | 47 | 41 | 41 |
| 10 | Scarborough | 29 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 20 | 18 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 17 | 17 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 37 | 35 | 41 | 37 |
| 11 | Torquay United | 29 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 18 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 13 | 22 | 12 | 4 | 13 | 31 | 33 | 40 | 31 |
| 12 | Hull City | 30 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 18 | 17 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 9 | 13 | 8 | 28 | 32 | 40 | 28 |
| 13 | Mansfield Town | 29 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 18 | 19 | 9 | 12 | 8 | 31 | 28 | 39 | 31 |
| 14 | Chester City | 28 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 17 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 19 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 28 | 31 | 39 | 28 |
| 15 | Scunthorpe United | 28 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 29 | 24 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 14 | 19 | 11 | 5 | 12 | 43 | 43 | 38 | 43 |
| 16 | Hartlepool United | 30 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 21 | 22 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 13 | 18 | 10 | 6 | 14 | 34 | 40 | 36 | 34 |
| 17 | Barnet | 29 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 18 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 17 | 8 | 12 | 9 | 27 | 27 | 36 | 27 |
| 18 | Leyton Orient | 30 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 17 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 20 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 27 | 29 | 36 | 27 |
| 19 | Rochdale | 27 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 17 | 12 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 14 | 21 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 31 | 33 | 34 | 31 |
| 20 | Exeter City | 30 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 16 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 13 | 26 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 29 | 43 | 31 | 29 |
| 21 | Darlington | 29 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 26 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 15 | 33 | 8 | 6 | 15 | 41 | 53 | 30 | 41 |
| 22 | Doncaster Rovers | 30 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 16 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 17 | 32 | 8 | 5 | 17 | 33 | 48 | 29 | 33 |
| 23 | Hereford United | 30 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 19 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 28 | 8 | 5 | 17 | 31 | 45 | 29 | 31 |
| 24 | Brighton & Hove Albion * | 30 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 21 | 20 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 8 | 31 | 5 | 7 | 18 | 29 | 51 | 20 | 29 |
| Points adjustments | ||
| 01/01/1997 | Brighton & Hove Albion | Deducted two points following crowd pitch invasion. |



